How to Visit the English CathedralsSingleton, Esther
History
How to Visit the English Cathedrals
Singleton, Esther
Cathedrals -- England
“The window is 78 feet high and 32 feet wide, and contains nine
lights. It is entirely filled with old glass, except for certain
pitches of modern glass, rather crude in colour, and inserted, it
is said, after the fire of 1829. It contains 200 panels of figures.
The subjects in the upper part are from the Old Testament, reaching
from the creation of the world to the death of Absalom. The lower
part contains illustrations from the Book of Revelations. In the
loftiest row of all are representations of kings and archbishops.
“In the top lights are figures of prophets, saints and kings. At
the apex of the window is a representation of the Saviour in
Judgment.
“This window is probably the finest example of Perpendicular glass
in England.
“The great east window, like the windows of the transepts, has a
double plane of tracery reaching to about half the height of the
whole. Between the two planes a passage runs at the base of the
window, between two doors which lead to staircases in the turrets
on each side of the windows. These staircases, in their turn, lead
to a gallery across the window on the top of the inner plane of
tracery. The view from this gallery is very fine.”--(A. C.-B.)
Of the numerous tombs and monuments in the east end below the windows in
the retro-choir and choir-aisles, we note only two. That of =Archbishop
Bowet= (died 1423), in the retro-choir (south side), is one of the finest
Perpendicular monuments in existence, much mutilated, it is true; but
still exhibiting its clusters of tabernacles and pinnacles joined to the
arch beneath with fan-tracery. Bowet was still alive when this monument
was erected in 1415. The other is =William of Hatfield= (died 1344),
second son of Edward III., aged eight. The Plantagenista ornaments the
canopy. Unfortunately the effigy of the little prince is much damaged.
The =Nave= is also superb and all the decoration most elaborate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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